The Cost of Climate Control
With the rise in environmental activism in the 1990's, criticism and scrutiny of climate control technology began to enter the public discourse. With populations growing, and the universality of A/C in buildings, many questions have been raised concerning the ability to supply electricity to the machines. In a 1989 article in The Energy Journal, writer Clinton Andrews expressed "Air conditioning is a major contributor to peak electric loads in the U.S. and other wealthy, warm countries. Highly-peaked electric load profiles detract from economic efficiency, given current pricing structures and metering practices -- and they probably contribute to inequitable electricity prices".
As energy demands increase around the world, the ability to power A/C units may become a class signifier, with only the wealthier in society being able to afford to live comfortably in hot climates. Robin Bresnahan, a CBC radio host, discussed this A/C inequality in her podcast episode Is air conditioning a human right?, arguing that low income populations were susceptible to negative health effects, and even death, due to the unaffordability of air conditioning in some regions. The elderly are at even greater risk when unable to afford A/C, with a Texas study published by the National Institute of Health finding a positive correlation between mortality of those over 65, and their exposure to high temperatures indoors.
Ironically, the use of air conditioning to cool structures down may be a key contributor in the heating of the planet through climate change. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are one of the primary factors than cause global warming, trapping heat in the atmosphere and warming the planet. In a 2021 report for Annual Review of Environment and Resources, researchers claim that A/C and refrigeration technology is responsible for a significant fraction of GHG emissions, stating "The cooling services industry is currently responsible for over 10% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, so it is critical to investigate how the expansion of cooling services will impact future GHG emissions". This production of GHGs and their heating of the environment produces a positive feedback loop, with the increase in global temperatures driving people to not only buy A/C units, but run them longer. In an Earth's Future Research article, researchers claim "we find substantial increases in future residential air conditioning demand across the U.S.—up to 8% with a range of 5%–8.5% ".
This increase will only exacerbate climate change as well as power demands, with the Earth's Future research article further claiming "In the absence of more proactive approaches towards anticipating demand shifts under climate change, frequent rolling blackouts could become the new norm, leaving millions of households without access to electricity and other electricity-dependent essential services such as water, sanitation, mobility, and communication, with significant public health implications".